The moderns cannot reach their beauties, but can avoid their
imperfections.
- [Ancients]

The moral perfections of the Deity, the more attentively, we
consider, the more perfectly still shall we know them.
- [God]

The most exquisite words and finest strokes of an author are
those which very often appear the most doubtful and exceptionable
to a man who wants a relish for polite learning; and they are
those which a sour undistinguishing critic generally attacks with
the greatest violence.
- [Critics]

The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a
listener.
- [Flattery]

The natural homage which such a creature as Man bears to an
infinitely wise and good God, is a firm Reliance on Him for the
blessings and conveniences of life, and an habitual Trust in Him
for deliverance out of all such dangers and difficulties as may
befall us. The man who always lives in this disposition of mind,
when he reflects upon his own weakness and imperfection, comforts
himself with the contemplation of those Divine attributes which
are employed for his safety and welfare. He finds his want of
foresight made up by the omniscience of Him who is his support.
He in not sensible of his own want of strength when he knows that
his Helper is Almighty. In short, the person who has a firm
Trust on the Supreme Being, is powerful in his power, wise by his
wisdom, happy by his hap-piness.
- [Faith in Christ]

The passion for praise, which is so very vehement in the fair
sex, produces excellent effects in women of sense, who desire to
be admired for that which only deserves admiration.
- [Praise]

The peacock in all his pride does not display half the colors
that appear in the garments of a British lady when she is
dressed.
- [Dress]

The person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful
in his power, wise by his wisdom, happy by his happiness.
- [Faith]

The pleasantest part of a man's life is generally that which
passes in courtship, provided his passion be sincere, and the
party beloved kind with discretion. Love, desire, hope, all the
pleasing emotions of the soul, rise in the pursuit.
- [Courtship]

The pride of woman, natural to her, never sleeps until modesty is
gone.
- [Pride]

The productions of a great genius, with many lapses and
inadvertences, are infinitely preferable to the works of an
inferior kind of author which are scrupulously exact, and
conformable to all the rules of correct writing.
- [Genius]

The religious man fears, the man of honor scorns, to do an ill
action.
- [Action]

The schoolboy counts the time till the return of the holidays;
the minor longs to be of age; the lover is impatient till he is
married.
- [Impatience]

The sense of honour is of so fine and delicate a nature, that it
is only to be met with in minds which are naturally noble, or in
such as have been cultivated by good examples, or a refined
education.
- in the "Guardian", no. 161 [Honor]

The soul, considered with its Creator, is like one of those
mathematical lines that may draw nearer to another for all
eternity without a possibility of touching it; and can there be a
thought so transporting as to consider ourselves in these
perpetual approaches to Him, who is not only the standard of
perfection, but of happiness?
- [Soul]

The soul, secure in her existence, smiles
At the drawn dagger, and defies its point,
The stars shall fade away, the sun himself
Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years;
But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth,
Unhurt amidst the war of elements,
The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.
- [Soul]

The statue lies hid in a block of marble; and the art of the
statuary only clears away the superfluous matter, and removes the
rubbish.
- [Sculpture]

The talent of turning men into ridicule, and exposing to laughter
those one converses with, is the gratification of little minds
and ungenerous tempers. A young man with this cast of mind cuts
himself off from all manner of improvement.
- [Ridicule]

The time never lies heavy upon him; it is impossible for him to
be alone.
- [Alone]

The truth of it is, there is nothing in history which is so
improving to the reader as those accounts which we meet with of
the death of eminent persons and of their behavior in that
dreadful season.
- [Death]

The utmost we can hope for in this world is contentment; if we
aim at anything higher, we shall meet with nothing but grief and
disappointment. A man should direct all his studies and
endeavors at making himself easy now and happy hereafter.
- [Happiness]

The very first discovery of beauty strikes the mind with an
inward joy, and spreads a cheerfulness and delight through all
its faculties.
- [Beauty]

The voice of reason is more to be regarded than the bent of any
present inclination; since inclination will at length come over
to reason, though we can never force reason to comply with
inclination.
- [Reason]

The ways of heaven are dark and intricate,
Puzzled in mazes, and perplex'd with errors;
Our understanding traces them in vain,
Lost and bewilder'd in the fruitless search;
Nor sees with how much art the windings run,
Nor where the regular confusion ends.
- [Providence]